1
as in counterfeits
an imitation that is passed off as genuine
experts declared that one of the museum's prized paintings was actually a fake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frauds
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
a hidden-camera investigation revealed that the so-called psychic was a fake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in forges
to imitate or copy especially in order to deceive
pranksters faked giant footprints and then claimed that they had seen Bigfoot
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in pretends
to present a false appearance of
while running for class president, Dan was not above faking friendship with people just to get their votes
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in devises
to perform, make, or do without preparation
if you give me the gist of the plan, I can probably fake enough for the speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in evades
to elude (an opponent in a sports contest) by making a deceptive or agile movement
the running back faked the defense by stepping to his left and then quickly cutting to the right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fakes
Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
Nembhard had to toss the ball out to Pascal Siakam after failing to get Wembanyama to jump on two fakes under the rim.
—ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
Fernandes had been aware of the spread of the digital fakes for years.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026
Some firms have also invested more heavily in artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to scale up efforts like text and image screening to better detect fakes and fraudsters.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2026
Plans are now underway for a contemporary reimagining of the series, which saw McShane play the eponymous roguish and fourth wall-breaking antiques dealer, a likeable anti-hero with a knack for recognizing genuine antiques from fakes or forgeries.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
Does Scream 7 want to honor the 30-year legacy of the franchise, which would explain the AI deep fakes?
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Lamont said his conservation with Porat focused on striking a balance between driving innovation and addressing concerns around algorithmic bias, deep fakes and job loss.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
The overwhelming motive for the early fakes was to provide entertainment — about three-quarters of the images in the exhibition were created for this purpose, Rooseboom said.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Mahsa Alimardani, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
As with any market, more money means more scammers, and fakes abound — this past fall Sotheby’s cancelled two memorabilia auctions over authenticity concerns.
—Julie Brener Davich, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
Each time Ivy's owner, Ryan, draws nearer, the dog fakes him out and bounds away, tail wagging.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Ake fakes a core breach to get Braka off the ship, with the Klingarite reluctantly leaving.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 16 Jan. 2026
Brunson fakes the swing to the right corner, blows past VJ Edgecombe, gets both feet into the paint, draws two defenders and finds OG Anunoby in the left corner.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
In Part 3, Assane (Sy) steals the Black Pearl, earns the support of the French public, fakes his own death, and saves his estranged mother’s life.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
Jackson fakes the quarterback run before throwing it to Sparks for a touchdown.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 22 Nov. 2025
However, after a reconciliation and tearful goodbye with Glinda, Elphaba forms a plan to use the rumor that getting wet will kill her to her advantage and—unbeknownst to Glinda—ultimately fakes her own death by allowing Dorothy to throw a bucket a water on her.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
Noun
McEnelly played defense the rest of the way, mixing in fakes where needed to keep Welsh at bay.
—Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
Nembhard had to toss the ball out to Pascal Siakam after failing to get Wembanyama to jump on two fakes under the rim.
—ABC News, 21 Mar. 2026
Fernandes had been aware of the spread of the digital fakes for years.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Mar. 2026
Some firms have also invested more heavily in artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to scale up efforts like text and image screening to better detect fakes and fraudsters.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2026
Plans are now underway for a contemporary reimagining of the series, which saw McShane play the eponymous roguish and fourth wall-breaking antiques dealer, a likeable anti-hero with a knack for recognizing genuine antiques from fakes or forgeries.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
Does Scream 7 want to honor the 30-year legacy of the franchise, which would explain the AI deep fakes?
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Lamont said his conservation with Porat focused on striking a balance between driving innovation and addressing concerns around algorithmic bias, deep fakes and job loss.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
The overwhelming motive for the early fakes was to provide entertainment — about three-quarters of the images in the exhibition were created for this purpose, Rooseboom said.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
This isn’t a war where AI fakes fool everyone nor where detection tools catch everything.
—Mahsa Alimardani, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
As with any market, more money means more scammers, and fakes abound — this past fall Sotheby’s cancelled two memorabilia auctions over authenticity concerns.
—Julie Brener Davich, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026
Each time Ivy's owner, Ryan, draws nearer, the dog fakes him out and bounds away, tail wagging.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Ake fakes a core breach to get Braka off the ship, with the Klingarite reluctantly leaving.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 16 Jan. 2026
Brunson fakes the swing to the right corner, blows past VJ Edgecombe, gets both feet into the paint, draws two defenders and finds OG Anunoby in the left corner.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
In Part 3, Assane (Sy) steals the Black Pearl, earns the support of the French public, fakes his own death, and saves his estranged mother’s life.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2025
Jackson fakes the quarterback run before throwing it to Sparks for a touchdown.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 22 Nov. 2025
However, after a reconciliation and tearful goodbye with Glinda, Elphaba forms a plan to use the rumor that getting wet will kill her to her advantage and—unbeknownst to Glinda—ultimately fakes her own death by allowing Dorothy to throw a bucket a water on her.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fakes
Noun
-
By 2009, Nakamoto took Bitcoin from theory to reality, mining the Genesis Block, and then, once the rules were set, protections against counterfeits were secured, and Bitcoin began to circulate—still worth next to nothing—Nakamoto vanished.—
Clara Molot,
Vanity Fair,
17 Mar. 2026
-
While many online retailers and marketplaces have taken steps to address the marketing of counterfeits, others still haven’t put the requisite measures in place—like notice and takedown procedures, identity verification and policies to punish offenders—that would curb the behavior.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There are some elite frauds going on in the sports world right now.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
That will weed out the frauds, freeloaders and slumlords.—
Scott Ostler,
San Francisco Chronicle,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
So holding 18, 19, 20-year-old young men to those standards on a daily basis is what forges championship teams.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Pascal forges an ex-studio chief’s knowledge, relationships, and favors into big-budget commercial pictures.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That's the county JD Vance pretends to be from.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
All about the fake Google security page Security researchers at Malwarebytes, a cybersecurity company, recently discovered a phishing website that pretends to be part of Google's account protection system.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the doppelganger charms the internet and devises a nefarious plot to replace mankind with brainrot, Shiori must partner with other online outcasts to stop her digital counterpart and reclaim her life in the real world.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
-
In the past, Cooper — who seems to have finally reconciled with his wife, Barb (Frances Turner) — devises a plan to stop the ongoing wars over power with Congresswoman Welch to get the cold fusion diode into the hands of the President of the United States (played by series newcomer Clancy Brown).—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But even if Booker’s appearance evades the FCC’s scrutiny, the commission is closely watching TV talk programs, with The View in particular a subject of interest.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Mar. 2026
-
But how does one set out to write a biography about the creation of an author who not only can’t be reached, but actively evades the spotlight?—
Costa Beavin Pappas,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Obviously, these are hoaxes right now.—
March 17,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions – also known as the fake news – have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
These two pretenders reflect an insider debate whose subject is not the existence of the Islamic Republic but the best method of its survival.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The Cult of the Beaver has to fend off pretenders.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fakes. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
